It was clicking on to one thirty in the morning and the smell of the stale
bar was rotting away at Harry's nostrils. The low lights hung over the
depression that filled the room, at a glance around it looked like a broken
man's hollow, lonely and bitter. It wasn't a major concern to him, he had
nothing to do the next day, or the day after that, or for the rest of his
life for that matter. He could off himself and probably no one would
really notice at first but then the whole "suicide club" would've been a
waste of his time, kinda like everything else.

The amber colored glass bottle sitting in front of him was a temporary
solution, he knew that, but at the moment it was the therapy he wanted.
The world could wait outisde, reality didn't really need him, and he didn't
need reality, it was just a sucker shot no one needed. Closing time was
nearing and that posed a problem for him, the domestic watering holes were
probably closed and his domain was therapy free at the moment. There was
also the equation of his car, he couldn't drive, he wasn't stupid, a cab
would have to do for now, his Honda could wait, it had to.

Jennifer walked into the bar that time had forgotten. Quietly she ignored
the other patrons as she walked directly to the bar with her saddle bag
banging lightly against her hip. The wooden laquered bar was sticky as she
placed a hand on it to lean over it, disgusted slightly she pulled her back
and wiped it on the rear of her jeans. Her dirty blonde hair fell around
her face hiding her from the rest of the world around her besides the
direct aisle in front of her.

"Hey, is there a pay phone around here?"her voice was raspy and sullen.
The mid aged man who was lazily leaning behind the bar looked over at her
with uninterested eyes.

"No,"his words were like bricks. Rolling her eyes as she sighed she
plunked herself on one of the stoodl and dug into her pocket for some
money. Pulling out a five dollar bill she placed it on the bar and looked
over at the bartender.

"JD straight," He nodded in understandment and took her money. Soon a
crystal clear drink glass was placed in front of her with ice, quickly
before the strong liqour could hit the crystal she picked up the glass and
with a flick of her wrist sent the ice flying behind her to clank on the
ground.

"I said straight," The bartender looked at her with annoyance as he poured
the liquid into the now bare glass. Once the glass was filled she was left
alone to involve herself in her own world. Picking up the now heavy glass
she swirled it around softly before bringing it to her lips and letting the
warm liquid burn a war path down her throat. The man sitting next to her
was an oblivion to her until a small black phone was placed next to her
glass. Slowly she looked at the phone then to the direction it came from,
he was clearly drunk, not falling down obnoxiously drunk, but pitifully
drunk.

"Yes?"she didn't quite understand why he was giving her a cellphone.

"You needed a phone." Mentally she berated herself for not thinking of
that, barely even a sip of her drink and she was already an idiot.

"Not anymore,"said Jennifer,"Thanks though." Nodding slightly as he took
his phone back she seen something that struck her, he wasn't okay,
something plauged him. She normally wasn't one to dig into someone's
problems for the simple fact of she couldn't be bothered and she had enough
of her own.

"Keep frowning like that and you'll stay like that,"said Jennifer as she
brought her glass back up to her lips.

"Don't ask,"muttered Harry.

"Don't believe I was,"said Jennifer. He looked too clean cut to her to be
hanging around in here, it wasn't her exact place but she was use to it.

"Girlfriend hack you off?"asked Jennifer.

"Work,"said Harry looking at the other end of the bar.

"Well don't get comfy in the gutter it sucks,"said Jennifer.

"Thanks for the advice,"muttered Harry. Jennifer shrugged and went back to
her drink, she didn't have anything to wallow in but she was self loathing
tonight. Her day had been hell, all she wanted was salvation from the hell
she had run from.

Finishing her drink she looked at the empty glass and considered ordering
another one, it's affects were numbing but still the stress leaked through
the cracks and ate at her. Carelessly she dropped the glass on the counter
and slowly slipped off the stool.

"It's not safe for a young woman like you to be roaming the streets
alone,"said the bartender with false concern. Jennifer stopped and looked
at the bar, reaching over she grabbed Harry's arm and yanked it.

"I'll take him with me, I'm sure he can protect me,"said Jennifer. Harry
slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder at the young girl that
stood there holding his jacket sleeve. Sloppy bangs fell gentily over brow
barely missing her eyes there were framed by waved hair. Her head flopped
sideways as she stood there, she looked small even though the clothes she
wore were over sized, a large olive green peacoat hung open on her over top
of a fitted black tank top. Harry looked at his drink then shrugged,
silently he slipped off the stool and stood next to Jennifer. She held
onto his arm as she let him guide them out of the damp bar and into the
lamp lit street. The cold air of Boston's night embraced them as they
stood there both on unsure legs as the alcohol thinned their blood.

"Where to?"asked Harry as the lights of the store signs, lamps and passing
cars blured together.

"Subway,"said Jennifer nodding to one way down the street.

"Me too,"said Harry as he turned with her in the direction of the
subway,"Do you have a name?"

"Everyone has a name,"laughed Jennifer as she slightly leaned on him well
walking,"It's Jennifer."

"Well Jen, I'm Harry,"

They walked on in silence, the comfort of both being there was enough for
them. At that last hour on a weekday the subway was dead, not another soul
was insight. The two of them stood close on the platform waiting for the
train to come crashing towards them. There was an air of awkwardness about
them but it didn't affect neither of them felt it. Slowly Jennifer grabbed
his left arm and held it up exposing his hand, she found it bare and looked
at him as he looked at her curiously.

"Not married?"asked Jennifer.

"No,"said Harry shaking his head. He reached over and took her hand up,
and found her's bare as well.

"Not married?"asked Harry.

"Not anymore,"said Jennifer. Harry looked down at the small soft hand he
held, it was obvious to him that it was smaller than it appeared, her
french manicured false nails gave the illusion of a larger hand. He could
only imagine what had landed her in that bottom barrel bar but through his
haze he couldn't think of it.

The train came roaring up to them, bright lights from it shone on them as
it haulted to a stop. As the doors mechinically slide open a female voice
made the announcment as to where the train was headed. Stumbling apart the
two entered the train and sat next to each other in a two seater. Harry
revealed in the warm female comfort next to him, her small figure was close
to him, almost snuggling but she kept things platonic. He only had a
couple of stops but it didn't really matter, he coulda ridden the train the
whole night with her. Glancing over at her, the idea he had only know this
girl for twenty minutes escaped him, sitting next to her was satisfying
enough for him, it wasn't lust of anything of the kind, she was like the
piece that was commonly missing. He knew it wasn't the need for a female
around, Ronnie was always there though she tended to flake or or become
controling in hard situations. This was differently, like she was a person
who just needed to be there.

Jennifer sat there perfect like a young girl in a strict private school,
her hands sat neatly in her lap as she sat straight looking forwards into
thin air. Her hair fell loosely around her framing her honey skin and
highlighting it.

"I get off at Glimore," her voice was solid in a soft womanly way. Harry
knew that was atleast six stops after him. His stop was two away, and to
Harry it was two stops too close, he needed comfort atleast for tonight,
someone to give a shit or atleast pretend to. Seemingly unphased by the
somber mood encasing the two the train rattled along to hault at the next
stop. Through the alcoholic haze Harry realized he had only about five
minutes to decide something. Jennifer's eyes were heavily shutting as
train stalled waiting for passengers to enter or leave the cars. Her head
was stuffy as she leaned it to the side, she was suffering a combination of
lack of sleep and power of the alcohol. Slowly she felt her hands being
parted and a warm flesh holding her left hand, looking down she seen
Harry's hand grasping her's. She ignored looking up at him and continued
looking on as the train started up again, on the noisy rattle.

The time slipped from them like sand and before Jennifer realized it Harry
was gentily pulling her up by her hand. Giving in she stood up and allowed
him to lead her off the train and on to the platform. His hand left her's
and snaked its way around her waist pulling her closer as he guided her
from the platform. Once on the street Jennifer looked up at Harry as they
wandered almost aimlessly.

"Where are we going?"asked Jennifer not really caring anyways, he could've
just ignored her and still she probably would've gone. Harry had a hard
look come over his face, like he was debating in his mind to reveal a
secret or not. Giving up she rested her head against his shoulder and
looked straight ahead.

"I don't want to be alone now," Harry's words were drenched in an unusual
sadness, like a fallen man who had no idea where to turn. Jennifer nodded
and continued walking with him, after the day she had just lived through
she left maybe she needed someone too, not necessarily someone to talk to
but someone to just be around. The feeling of lonilness was one that a
person could only take so much of.

****

Jennifer followed Harry into the darkness of his apartment, the lights
flicked on and flooded the room. Blinking she looked around and found
herself in a hallway looking at the back of Harry as he dropped his keys
hoping to hit the table but watching them desend to the floor. Jennifer
walked past him and down the hallway to the small cluttered living room,
she slipped off her broken in runners and padded over to the large sliding
doors that exited out to the small metal framed balcony. The black Boston
sky was highlighted by a few dim lights that glowed through the windows of
homes. Turning she found Harry standing looking at her with a bewildered
look on his face.

"You have a nice place,"said Jennifer as she walked to Harry. As she
aproached Harry reached out and took her hand leading her closer to him.
Her hand had a good fit into his, the soft smooth skin felt heavenly on
his. Leaning up Jennifer brushed her lips across Harry's, in response
Harry pressed his lips fully to hers capturing her in a kiss. Jennifer
relaxed into the kiss as Harry dropped her hand and placed his on the small
of her back. The air around them seemed still as the kiss ended, the
feeling of sadness seduced them and allowed them to find each other's arms
as salvation for the night.

Coaxingly Harry guided Jennifer down the hall to the bedroom. In moments
the two had found the bed and for the night forgot the burdening problems
surrounding them.

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